Method and machine for stoning mango fruit

A machine for stoning mango fruit, comprising a supply system (4) of single mangoes (1), an evacuation system (5) of stones (2) and stoned mangoes (1a), and one or more work stations (6, 7, 8, 9) in which the mangoes are single subjected to work operations, characterised in that:

• each work station comprises at least a blocking group (10) destined to receive and block the mango in a desired position thereof;
• at least a work station comprises at least a blade (3), having a shaped cutting profile and being provided with straight motion, before which the mango is brought, blocked by the blocking group in a position in which the stone is in line with the blade, but outside a trajectory of a cutting profile of the blade, with the stone arranged with a longitudinal dimension thereof parallel to the motion direction of the blade;
• the cutting profile of the blade being shaped such as to surround a semiperimeter of a section of the mango stone and to interest a median part of the mango arranged on a side of the stone;
• there being provided movement means for positioning the mango with respect to a blade such that the blade performs, in succession, a first cut on a semi-perimeter and on a side of the stone and a second cut on the semi-perimeter and on an opposite side to the first cut;
• there further being provided sliding means (11) for causing the straight motion of the blade.